By Eniola Olatunji
The Flamingos of Nigeria needs great guts to make history on Wednesday by going all out for the Las Cafeteras (The Coffee growers) of Columbia who are appearing in the Semifinals of the world U17 female football championships in India on Wednesday, 26th October at Noon Nigerian time.
The Pandit Nehu Stadium in Margo India will be subsumed in the “Nzogbu Nzogbu Eyinba Eyin” and the Oluwa wa ma sin wa lo” songs of the Nigerians known over the ages when there is a serious victory to be obtained.
Columbia has never gone beyond group stages in their four appearances at the grand finale of the category but Nigeria in five appearances had become specialists of the quarter finals falling there (where they lule or fall according to the latest political lexicon on the political landscape) having fallen thrice in 2010; 2012 and 2014. But the African football lords may sing “Emi Lokan” that is it is my turn to appear in the finals from current performances. While writing this piece, I received over 20 phone calls saying Columbia ‘ma lule’ that is Columbia will fall but it depends on 90 or 120 minutes of football guts.
My careful computation shows that Nigeria scored 8 goals in 4 matches winning 3 losing one but conceded 4 goals while Columbia which also won 3 matches losing one scored 7 goals and conceded 2 goals. The first interpretation of that is that Columbia has a better defensive tactics. We saw them pack the defence with four players and midfield with four players leaving just two attackers upfront against Tanzania in the quarters (4-4-2 system) and the Africans fell, hook line and sinkers to that system for the Columbians to advance in the tournament.
The statistics presented showed the differentials is very slim but advantage Columbia until a further study through observation was made which is an empirical premise in research studies. To any researcher, you have to make a scientific proof of your assumption. I am on that journey with you right now.
Ball possessions of both teams in four matches were equal at 50% each so I skipped that. Ball possession is important in football because highest ball holder usually dictates the game except some unusual happens.
The thing for Nigeria is to by their characteristics put Columbia under severe pressure and they will sing “Baba ti ba wa se” (God has done it for us) or the Kiss Daniel’s Buga Song now well-known at all levels globally and will be presented live at Qatar world Cup when the real men will be on parade.
I observed that from my computation, Columbia had 18 shots on target while Nigeria had 36. Columbia may go home at half time if they toy with the Nigerians who are as dangerous as a rattle snake in front of goal. In fact, of the four teams in the Semis, Nigeria has the highest shot on target with 36; Spain has 34; Germany 31 and Columbia 18 which may be their Achilles heel. Achilles heel is an idiomatic expression derived from the Greek mythology of the reason to lose a war or argument.
In my early reportorial days of sports in the 70s, a phrase “SAVE CORNER” means avoid corner to get into more troubles because corner kicks like penalty kicks are half chance of a goal. The slang is equally used in social parlance meaning avoid trouble. Nigeria had the second highest corner kicks of 31 among the four semifinalists as Germany had 32; Spain 24 and Columbia just 12. Now this means the ability to put your opponents under possible self-error. Segun Odegbami so made an Algerian right full back defender, Belloumi retire in that manner in his days dribbling him silly. The German legendary goalkeeper saw hell from the mesmerizing legs of Jay Jay Okocka when Jay Jay was in Frankfurt while three Nigerian girls always wait for headers from Corners like Ndidi of Leicester FC. Incidentally the only ‘own goal’ of the tournament is from Linda Calcedo of Columbia against Mexico. Own goal is when a player erroneous puts the ball in her own net. Nigeria, a very religious country will pray and fast for an encore from the boots of Linda on Wednesday.
On the contrary, Columbia looks better at save corner syndrome as the team conceded only 15 corners to Nigeria’s 25 meaning Naija babes are careless. An assumption the babes might send me to the gallows for as they are warriors, never giving up not only in sports but even in relationships.
Opponents of Nigerian girls are aggressive to stop them as they were fouled 30 times to the Refs making 19 calls on them against 46 to the sleekly Columbians and being caught 28 times. I expect more foul calls on the Columbians because the thought of an appearance in the finals may make them forget every propriety of the implications of a neat win. Africans are known for physical football and seems to know how to escape the Eagle eye of the Referees.
A hard kick will make the Columbian girls shout with a painful grin, “Mummy” and go home on time. Nigerian Players known for hard kicks are Chairman Christian Chukwu who doesn’t wear shin guards in his days. Shin guards in football are used to cover the shins to avoid broken legs. There was Inter Milan ace defender Taribo West now A Pastor, more lethal in defence.
And now the greatest danger for Nigeria will certainly be same Linda Calcedo who has the joint highest goal scorer with Japanese Momoko Tanikawa with 4 goals each. That girl is a volcano ready to explode and Nigeria will need to play her completely out of the game. Nigeria has Miracle Usani who also has 2 goals to her name. Nigeria has an advantage because virtually every player on the field can score. On the scorers sheet are Taiwo Afolabi; Amina Bello; Omamuzo Edafe; Blessing Emmanuel; Edidiong Etim and Bisola Mosaku.
Nigeria has more names on ‘top Assist’ that is those who help scorers. There are Shakirat Oyinlola; Opeyemi Ajakaye; Miracle Usani; Comfort Folorunsho; Blessing Emmanuel; Faith Omilana and Taiwo Afolabi. Columbia has only four players on that list namely, Luisa Agudelo; Christana Motta; Juana Ortegon and Gabriella Rodriguez. The implication is that Nigeria plays more as a team not one star player dominating the game. This makes ‘man to man’ marking system in football difficult. In the days of Pele of Brazil, they had five difficult players including Tostao on the right flank who demolishes opponents with fanciful dribble runs.
Nigeria had five yellow cards which are cautions in football and no red card which makes the player to be sent off immediately. Both cards attract fines on FIFA scoring scheme whether given to players or officials. They also count when winners of fair play trophy is to be decided like there is no way Tanzania with 3 red cards can win that title. Zhang Hongpin of China is the only other player that has a red. Nigerian player with yellows who have to be very careful because another yellow in the game against Columbia means they will miss the finals if they win are Ajakaye; Bello; Mosaku and Usani.
With all written, it should not be a stressful game for the Nigerians to make first appearance in the finals on the Sunday 29 the same day the 3rd place match will be decided. They have the players who can make FIFA grin like a schoolboy for producing great players.
To get to the Semifinals, Nigeria slumped to Germany in their first game 1-2; thrashed New Zealand 4-0; chilled Chile 2-1 and after playing 1-1 after extra time against powerful USA in the quarterfinals sent them back to lord Bidden in a 4-3 penalty win.
Columbia lost to giants Spain 0-1; dismissed the Chinese 2-0; bashed Mexico 2-1 before out shinning debutantes Tanzania 3-0 in the quarter finals.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
